How the West Could Lose

Pacifism, self-hatred and complacency are lengthening the war against radical Islam and causing undue casualties.

On the face of it, its military preponderance makes victory seem inevitable. Even if Tehran acquires a nuclear weapon, Islamists have nothing like the military machine the Axis deployed in World War II, nor the Soviet Union during the cold war. What do the Islamists have to compare with the Wehrmacht or the Red Army? The SS or Spetznaz? The Gestapo or the KGB? Or, for that matter, to Auschwitz or the gulag?

Yet, more than a few analysts, including myself, worry that it's not so simple. Islamists (defined as persons who demand to live by the sacred law of Islam, the Sharia) might in fact do better than the earlier totalitarians. They could even win. That's because, however strong the Western hardware, its software contains some potentially fatal bugs. Three of them – pacifism, self-hatred, complacency – deserve attention.

Pacifism: Among the educated, the conviction has widely taken hold that "there is no military solution" to current problems, a mantra applied in every Middle East problem – Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, the Kurds, terrorism, and the Arab-Israeli conflict. But this pragmatic pacifism overlooks the fact that modern history abounds with military solutions. What were the defeats of the Axis, the United States in Vietnam, or the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, if not military solutions?

Self-hatred: Significant elements in several Western countries --especially the United States, Great Britain, and Israel -- believe their own governments to be repositories of evil, and see terrorism as just punishment for past sins. This "we have met the enemy and he is us" attitude replaces an effective response with appeasement, including a readiness to give up traditions and achievements. Osama bin Laden celebrates by name such leftists as Robert Fisk and William Blum. Self-hating Westerners have an out-sized importance due to their prominent role as shapers of opinion in universities, the media, religious institutions, and the arts. They serve as the Islamists' auxiliary mujahideen.

Complacency: The absence of an impressive Islamist military machine imbues many Westerners, especially on the left, with a feeling of disdain. Whereas conventional war – with its men in uniform, its ships, tanks, and planes, and its bloody battles for land and resources – is simple to comprehend, the asymmetric war with radical Islam is elusive. Box cutters and suicide belts make it difficult to perceive this enemy as a worthy opponent. With John Kerry, too many dismiss terrorism as a mere "nuisance."

An ideology capable of appealing to Muslims of every size and shape, from Lumpenproletariat to privileged, from illiterates to Ph.D.s, from the well-adjusted to psychopaths, from Yemenis to Canadians. The movement almost defies sociological definition.

A non-violent approach – what I call "lawful Islamism" – that pursues Islamification through educational, political, and religious means, without recourse to illegality or terrorism. Lawful Islamism is proving successful in Muslim-majority countries like Algeria and Muslim-minority ones like the United Kingdom.

A huge number of committed cadres. If Islamists constitute 10% to 15% of the Muslim population worldwide, they number some 125 to 200 million persons, or a far greater total than all the fascists and communists, combined, who ever lived.

Pacifism, self-hatred and complacency are lengthening the war against radical Islam and causing undue casualties. Only after absorbing catastrophic human and property losses will left-leaning Westerners likely overcome this triple affliction and confront the true scope of the threat. The civilized world will likely then prevail, but belatedly and at a higher cost than need have been.

Should Islamists get smart and avoid mass destruction, but instead stick to the lawful, political, non-violent route, and should their movement remain vital, it is difficult to see what will stop them.

Visitor Comments: 7

I'm french and I constat that the islamic population in france is more than 6 millions of people.

All the politics formation can realise that their integration is impossible, because islam absorb the other religion and culture and is opposite to a coexistence with "others".

For us I think that for save our culture, our religion, our identity and our kadosh land, we only can by our strong faith (since 4000 years) and the mitsvoth.

If european and america accept the fact that islam will assimile, them, we, we have to continue to preserv our particularity against this danger.

So never never in our heart and in our souls we'll forget hachem and his Berakhot, without him we are nothing, with him nothing will arrive us.

RabotaÃ¯; hachem emakhem.

Mr KALLA Aldino

(6)
Miriam Null,
January 1, 2007 7:46 AM

Pipes on Muslims

Interestng article that one could disagree with--

(5)
Anonymous,
January 1, 2007 12:33 AM

Worried about extremists, too!

I read this article with a frisson of both pride (that my deepest fears were NOT paranoia) and dread, that I might be right! The day I heard about yet ANOTHER Islamic "holy war" in Somalia, against Ethiopia, suddenly, the warnings I'd heard about fundamentalist Muslims overtaking the world, seemed quite real!

I was one of those people who urged restraint, dialogue and above all, NOT using massive military strikes on Muslim nations, since it just seems to give them more "reasons" (though that word has little to do with their motives!) to hate the West.

Now, it seems to me that, no matter WHAT the West does or says, the Muslim extremists want us DEAD! Above all, they want Israel gone; they make no bones about that! Look at their response to the withdrawal from the Sinai: more attacks!

And though I regard Ann Coulter as insane shil of the right-wing Neo-cons and "Christians", I DO agree with her that Islamic fundamentalism is beyond reason and can ONLY Be stopped by A) calling it what it is (blind hatred) and B) stopping it by whatever means necessary. Unlike Coulter, I don't care a fig whether Muslims convert or not. I just want them to stop killing in the name of their so-called religion.

(4)
Kristen Durboraw,
December 31, 2006 4:18 PM

sometimes it takes blood

It's an unfortunate reality, but nevertheless a reality: If you have a tumor, it needs to be cut out, and blood will be shed, lest the tumor grow and take over and ultimately kill the host. This is what we're dealing with here. As a well-known spokesman for Israel has said, "Bring them to the Lord, or they'll bring you to the sword." That's one way, but if the enemy is at our gates with a sword, we need to send out our warriors with their weapons and our prayers."For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he disgraces the batallions of the Living God?" "HaShem who rescued me from the hand of the lion and from the hand of the bear, He will rescue me from this Philistine!" Gotta love David. May we all have the courage of David, and the commitment of the Macabbees, and the prayerfulness of Ester. Abba's blessing, and may He give us strength.

(3)
Doug R,
December 31, 2006 10:24 AM

Not as much about religion as one might think

Many times in history there have been those who seek power through religion. It seems to be the most effective way to convince the masses to follow your every command without question. This is the primary reason for brain washing arabs from age 5 up instead of providing them with an education. So-called "educated" folks falling for this rhetoric is nothing new. Self proclaimed intellects (lacking any form of common sense) have always fallen for communism, socialism, etc. As Daniel Pipe's self-hatred point proves, these times just promulgate the latest versions of their ignorance. I will never understand the fervent desire to fabricate reasons to bite the hand that feeds you.

The best way to see the difference between an effort to gain power and genuine belief in a cause is the willingness of the leadership to sacrifice or face danger along with the rank and file. This is completely absent among the leadership of radical islam. It's always some one else or their children making the ultimate sacrifice, never themselves or their own. Only when they're cornered do they fight and the sheer brain washing of their minions allows this to occur without question.

I am not convinced "moderate" islam is as pacifist as they would like us to believe. Their religion does not allow allegiance to a country. They have tremendous apathy towards a lack of freedom or civil rights as well as the actions of their radical counterparts. The few who speak out live under constant threat of death. Many live in fear of retaliation if they protest radical islam but this doesn't account for the vast majority going along with the status quo.

(2)
Helen Chronister,
December 31, 2006 9:26 AM

Agree with this important article.

This is a very important article that should be forwarded to others to make them open their eyes and see what's going on. Our age is not unique. Pacifism, self-hatred, complacency and assimilation will cause us to self-distruct. Jews contribute a lot of good to the world. Our Torah teaches us how. Why do we seem to be ashamed of this?

(1)
Jonathan,
December 31, 2006 7:26 AM

G-d can stop them...

Thanks for this important article. It should be read by everyone in the West, not just the readers of Aish.com ... I have noticed this self-hatred that you talk about. If a Jewish person or a Christian talks about a moral value that matters to us, we may be labelled as old fashioned, ignorant, religious freaks. But if a Muslim makes a similar statement, the crowds tend to stand up, impressed, and rejoice: We have so much to learn from this beautiful and exotic culture! Duhh! FREEDOM ISN'T FREE! People have died, struggled and paid for it with their time, money and blood. Now thieves are trying to invade our countries and rob our freedom. We have opened our arms, welcomed them in the name of tolerance and they have taken adventage of that. Let's not reduce our selves to their level of hatred. Let's pray that our enemies will repent, but if they don't- let's not doubt a second that eliminating the terrorists is the only right option.

I'm told that it's a mitzvah to become intoxicated on Purim. This puzzles me, because to my understanding, it is not considered a good thing to become intoxicated, period.

One of the characteristics of the at-risk youth is their use of drugs, including alcohol. In my experience, getting drunk doesn't reveal secrets. It makes people act stupid and irresponsible, doing things they would never do if they were sober. Also, I know a lot about the horrible health effects of abusing alcohol, because I work at a research center that focuses on addiction and substance abuse.

Also, I am an alcoholic, which means that if I drink, very bad things happen. I have not had a drink in 22 years, and I have no intention of starting now. Surely there must be instances where a person is excused from the obligation to drink. I don't see how Judaism could ever promote the idea of getting drunk. It just doesn't seem right.

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Putting aside for a moment all the spiritual and philosophical reasons for getting drunk on Purim, this remains an issue of common sense. Of course, teenagers should be warned of the dangers of acute alcohol ingestion. Of course, nobody should drink and drive. Of course, nobody should become so drunk to the point of negligence in performing mitzvot. And of course, a recovering alcoholic should not partake of alcohol on Purim.

Indeed, the Code of Jewish Law explicitly says that if one suspects the drinking may affect him negatively, then he should NOT drink.

Getting drunk on Purim is actually one of the most difficult mitzvot to do correctly. A person should only drink if it will lead to positive spiritual results - e.g. under the loosening affect of the alcohol, greater awareness will surface of the love for God and Torah found deep in the heart. (Perhaps if we were on a higher spiritual level, we wouldn't need to get drunk!)

Yet the Talmud still speaks of an obligation on Purim of "not knowing the difference between Blessed is Mordechai and Cursed is Haman." How then should a person who doesn't drink get the point of “not knowing”? Simple - just go to sleep! (Rama - OC 695:2)

All this applies to individuals. But the question remains - does drinking on Purim adversely affect the collective social health of the Jewish community?

The aversion to alcoholism is engrained into Jewish consciousness from a number of Biblical and Talmudic sources. There are the rebuking words of prophets - Isaiah 28:1, Hosea 3:1 with Rashi, and Amos 6:6, and the Zohar says that "The wicked stray after wine" (Midrash Ne'alam Parshat Vayera).

It is well known that the rate of alcoholism among Jews has historically been very low. Numerous medical, psychological and sociological studies have confirmed this. The connection between Judaism and sobriety is so evident, that the following conversation is reported by Lawrence Kelemen in "Permission to Receive":

When Dr. Mark Keller, editor of the Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol, commented that "practically all Jews do drink, and yet all the world knows that Jews hardly ever become alcoholics," his colleague, Dr. Howard Haggard, director of Yale's Laboratory of Applied Physiology, jokingly proposed converting alcoholics to the Jewish religion in order to immerse them in a culture with healthy attitudes toward drinking!

Perhaps we could suggest that it is precisely because of the use of alcohol in traditional ceremonies (Kiddush, Bris, Purim, etc.), that Jews experience such low rates of alcoholism. This ceremonial usage may actually act like an inoculation - i.e. injecting a safe amount that keeps the disease away.

Of course, as we said earlier, all this needs to be monitored with good common sense. Yet in my personal experience - having been in the company of Torah scholars who were totally drunk on Purim - they acted with extreme gentleness and joy. Amid the Jewish songs and beautiful words of Torah, every year the event is, for me, very special.

Adar 12 marks the dedication of Herod's renovations on the second Holy Temple in Jerusalem in 11 BCE. Herod was king of Judea in the first century BCE who constructed grand projects like the fortresses at Masada and Herodium, the city of Caesarea, and fortifications around the old city of Jerusalem. The most ambitious of Herod's projects was the re-building of the Temple, which was in disrepair after standing over 300 years. Herod's renovations included a huge man-made platform that remains today the largest man-made platform in the world. It took 10,000 men 10 years just to build the retaining walls around the Temple Mount; the Western Wall that we know today is part of that retaining wall. The Temple itself was a phenomenal site, covered in gold and marble. As the Talmud says, "He who has not seen Herod's building, has never in his life seen a truly grand building."

Some people gauge the value of themselves by what they own. But in reality, the entire concept of ownership of possessions is based on an illusion. When you obtain a material object, it does not become part of you. Ownership is merely your right to use specific objects whenever you wish.

How unfortunate is the person who has an ambition to cleave to something impossible to cleave to! Such a person will not obtain what he desires and will experience suffering.

Fortunate is the person whose ambition it is to acquire personal growth that is independent of external factors. Such a person will lead a happy and rewarding life.

With exercising patience you could have saved yourself 400 zuzim (Berachos 20a).

This Talmudic proverb arose from a case where someone was fined 400 zuzim because he acted in undue haste and insulted some one.

I was once pulling into a parking lot. Since I was a bit late for an important appointment, I was terribly annoyed that the lead car in the procession was creeping at a snail's pace. The driver immediately in front of me was showing his impatience by sounding his horn. In my aggravation, I wanted to join him, but I saw no real purpose in adding to the cacophony.

When the lead driver finally pulled into a parking space, I saw a wheelchair symbol on his rear license plate. He was handicapped and was obviously in need of the nearest parking space. I felt bad that I had harbored such hostile feelings about him, but was gratified that I had not sounded my horn, because then I would really have felt guilty for my lack of consideration.

This incident has helped me to delay my reactions to other frustrating situations until I have more time to evaluate all the circumstances. My motives do not stem from lofty principles, but from my desire to avoid having to feel guilt and remorse for having been foolish or inconsiderate.

Today I shall...

try to withhold impulsive reaction, bearing in mind that a hasty act performed without full knowledge of all the circumstances may cause me much distress.

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